Speaker arrays may be variably driven to form numerous different beam patterns. The generated beam patterns can be controlled and altered to change the direction and region over which sound is radiated. Using this property of speaker arrays allows some acoustic parameters to be controlled. One such parameter is the direct-to-reverberant acoustic energy ratio. This ratio describes how much sound a listener receives directly from a speaker array compared to how much sound reaches the listener via reflections off walls and other reflecting objects in a room. For example, if a beam pattern generated by a speaker array is narrow and pointed at a listener, the direct-to-reverberant ratio will be large since the listener is receiving a large amount of direct energy and a comparatively smaller amount of reflected energy. Alternatively, if a beam pattern generated by the speaker array is wide, the direct-to-reverberant ratio is smaller as the listener is receiving comparatively more sound reflected off surfaces and objects.